The present invention relates to a compressed air control device for a CPAP device and a corresponding CPAP system.
The principle of a device for producing a continuous positive airway pressure, abbreviated to CPAP device, and in particular a nasal CPAP device, abbreviated to nCPAP device, is that a patient treated therewith breathes in and out with pressure support.
An extremely important application is in the treatment of premature babies. In this case, the effect is that the lung, which is not yet fully developed, is inflated by the overpressure and improved gas exchange is possible as a result. Another very important factor is that the dangerous collapse of the alveoli owing to the negative respiratory pressure can be prevented by this technology. Another aspect is that the alveoli are opened better, and thus the entire functional state of the lung is improved.
FIG. 3 is a schematic view of the device 1, known from WO 99/24101, for producing a continuous positive airway pressure.
Reference numeral 10 denotes a cylindrical hollow body 10 in which an overpressure can be built up and reference numeral 20 denotes a first opening, provided in the outer surface of the cylindrical hollow body 10, for supplying a constant compressed air stream A, which is directed into the hollow body 10, and for removing the exhaled air stream B. A connecting piece 30, which can be attached to an end face 10a of the cylindrical hollow body 10 for connecting the hollow body 10 to a nose attachment 100, and a spacer 40, which can be attached to the hollow body 10 and to which a flow nozzle 50 for directing the constant compressed air stream A towards the first opening 20 can be attached, are also provided. The flow nozzle comprises a connecting pipe L4b for attaching a compressed air line for supplying the constant compressed air stream A.
The connecting piece 30 consists of a Teflon plug which can be inserted, at least in part, into the hollow body 10 at the end face 10a. The plug comprises two passages (dashed lines) which correspond to corresponding airways of the nose attachment 100. Two outward-facing pipe ends 35 for insertion into the nose attachment 100 are provided in the passages of the connecting piece 30.
A second opening O2 for connecting a pressure gauge is provided at the other end face 10b of the cylindrical hollow body 10. For this purpose, a pipe 60 for connection to a pressure sensing line is connected to the second opening at substantially a right angle. The pipe 60 extends away from the hollow body 10 by substantially the same length as the flow nozzle 50, and therefore a line for supplying compressed air to the flow nozzle can be attached to the flow nozzle 50 at substantially the same height as the pressure sensing line.
The spacer 40 has a substantially annular shape. The flow nozzle 50 is guided through a hole in the side wall of the annular shape and directed towards the first opening 20 in a substantially perpendicular manner. The flow nozzle 50 projects into the interior of the annular shape by a predetermined length.
The side wall of the annular shape comprises a safety air passage opening 45. The annular shape of this construction can be sealed by the fingers in such a way that the exhaled air stream B flows through the safety air passage opening 45.
The idea underlying this known device for producing a continuous positive airway pressure is that a Benveniste valve is provided, the cavity of which can be made accessible from one side over a large cross-section by removing the connecting piece, in such a way that effective sterilisation of the cavity is possible. An exhalation tube is not required during operation.
A drawback of the known CPAP and nCPAP devices is the fact that they are not flexible when handling compressed air and during operation using compressed air production means and pressure gauges.